News Releases from Region 6

Oklahoma Group Receives 2013 Environmental Justice Small Grant

The 2013 grants support activities that address a range of community concerns such as reducing exposure to indoor environmental asthma triggers, restoring and protecting waterways, educating child care professionals on ways to prevent lead poisoning, and reducing pesticide use in child care facilities.

Winners included the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians in Red Rock, Oklahoma. The grant will allow the group to develop a training program to address drinking water and air quality issues that affect the tribe. The training will help tribal community members better understand environmental regulations, empower them to make informed decisions, and access regulatory and enforcement agencies when reporting violations.

Environmental justice is defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race or income, in the environmental decision-making process. Since 1994, EPA’s environmental justice small grants program has supported projects to address environmental justice issues in more than 1,400 communities. The grant awards represent EPA’s commitment to promoting community-based actions to address environmental justice issues.

In the fall of 2013, EPA will issue a Request for Proposals for the FY 2014 Collaborative Problem Solving Grants. A schedule of pre-application community stakeholder teleconference calls will be announced at that time.